Leica III(F) 1934-39
Tomei Collection
Every collection has a few veterans of decades of rough use. This model III(F) is neither rare nor is it a fine example of the model. However, it arrived with several immaculate lenses, so it earned its place in the collection.
This model marked the continued improvement of the Leica cameras having appeared in 1934 just a year after the II(D). Competition had heated up with Zeiss Ikon and their formidable Contax I model had begun to erode the market for the Leica cameras by 1934. The addition of slow shutter speeds from 1 sec through 1/20 sec on a front mounted dial made this model popular and competitive through the end of the production in 1939.
Two notable changes were introduced with this model: First , an improved rangefinder optical design that provided a magnification of 1.5x. Second, lugs finally appeared on the body permitting use of neck straps that did not depend on use of the everready case.